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LAPD Officer Charged with One Count of Felony Assault

Submitted by Irene Müller on Tue, 04/21/2015 - 12:56

It is very unusual to file assault charges on police officers on duty as they are given authority to use force. But some cases that have been videotaped highlight how cops can take undue advantage of that freedom given to them.

Clinton Alford Jr., 22, was badly hit by Officer Richard Garcia, 34. On Monday, he has been charged with one count of felony assault for unlawful force while arresting Alford when he has surrendered. Alford said he did not remember everything that happened that October afternoon.

He just remembers he was repeatedly kicked in the head and was given shock with an electric stun gun in the back. Alford said that he was just praying that the police do not kill him.

As stated above, it is unlikely for on-duty police officers to face charges. But such cases highlight that prosecutors are more willing to charge cop when incidents are caught on video, which can be presented to jury.

Garcia is one of three Los Angeles Police Department officers who have been facing assault charges with regard to on-duty incidents caught on camera. Garcia's incident was captured by a security camera on a nearby building. But this footage was not made public.

Those who have seen the recording termed it to be a disturbing scenario. In fact, one of them called it horrific and another person said that the officer kicked Alford like a 'football player kicking a field goal'. Chief Charlie Beck said, "From the earliest stages of our investigation, it became apparent that this individual's actions were not only beyond department policy but were in fact criminal".

An LAPD spokesperson said that internal affairs investigation into the conduct of Garcia and other officers is going on.